Yogadrstisamuccaya of Haribhadra Suri (Study)
by Riddhi J. Shah | 2014 | 98,110 words
This page relates ‘three types of Understanding: Budhi, Jnana, Asammoha� of the study on the Yogadrstisamuccaya: a 6th-century work on Jain Yoga authored by Haribhadra Suri consisting of 228 Sanskrit verses. The book draws from numerous sources on traditional Yoga. Three important topics are stipulated throughout this study: 1) nature of liberation, 2) a liberated soul, and 3) omniscience.—This section belongs to the series “A Line of Demarcation between the first four and last four Yogadrishtis�.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Chapter 5.6 - The three types of Understanding: Budhi, ñԲ, ṃmdz
It is said that performance of same action yields different fruits to different worshippers if performed with varied mental attitudes. Now our author states the reasons for the varied mental attitudes of different worshippers. He says that due to the vices viz attachment, aversion etc. the performance of an action differs in three types of understanding (i.e. budhi, ñԲ, ṃmdz). This is the reason why the performance of same action yields different fruits[1] .
Haribhadrasūri says that the understanding (bodha) is of three types:
- Buddhi,
- ñԲ,
- ṃmdz.
And all the actions of living beings exhibit difference corresponding to a difference in the types of understanding[2] . Generally it is seen that the performance of an action is undertaken with difference in degree of intensity.
It is:
- A person worships a deity with less intensity.
- Another person performs an act of worship with a medium involvement.
- A third person may undertake every act of worship with very high regard and complete devotion for concerned deity.
The reason for such difference in the intensity of devotion is existence of different degree of attachment, aversion and delusion in a worshipper. Due to the existence of these vices in a worshipper a difference is found in his understanding. He performs an action understanding it merely with buddhi or ñԲ or with ṃmdz.
Haribhadrasūri defines the three types of understanding as follows. Buddhi is concerned only with sensuous objects. ñԲ is the knowledge derived from the scriptural texts. When such knowledge accompanies a true religious practice (岹ԳṣṭԲ) it is called ṃmdz[3] . In his auto-commentary on ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ Haribhadrasūri describes the three types of understanding.
The lines are as follows:
kandriyārthāśrayā buddhistīrthayātṛkadarśane tadgamanabuddhivat |
ñԲṃtvāgamapūrvaka� tīrthayātrāvidhiñԲvat | 岹ԳṣṭԲvaccaitajñԲ�, ...asaṃmoho'bhidhīyate... ||121||
Let us understand these lines of our author in detail. A person whose understanding is of the buddhi type would visit a pilgrimage place only because others do it. He does not desire to enquire into the reasons and results of such visit. For instance a butcher Kālasaurika’s act of listening and enjoying the sermon (ś) of Lord Ѳ屹ī is done with the buddhi type understanding. The butcher used to kill five hundred buffaloes every day. He was not ready to consider his such a cruel act as unworthy. Still he was enjoying the sermon. He likes to listen to the sermon because it is extremely pleasing to his ears. He has nothing to do with the spiritual gains of it.
A person who has gathered knowledge, either from listening or studying the scriptures about various religious precepts as well as performances, his possesses ñԲ typed understanding. Whether he visits pilgrimage places or does etc., all his actions would be the results of his understanding that such performances are the mere cause to get rid of the transmigration. Like buddhi type people, the ñԲ typed ones do not visit pilgrimage just only because so many other people visit it. The later ones would engage themselves into the act of visiting the pilgrimage place after acquainting themselves with the complete knowledge about the rituals and so on. They desire that their visit to the pilgrimage place would wash away to the karmans and help them to attain spiritual progress. This is their intention of visiting the pilgrimage. Since their intention differs from that of the intentions of buddhi typed persons, both obtain different fruits by performing the same act of visiting the pilgrimage place.
The third type of understanding namely non-deluded understanding (ṃmdz bodha) is possessed of true religious practice (i.e. 岹ԳṣṭԲ). Any religious activity undertaken with a non-deluded understanding is pure in all respect. Such a religious activity immediately yields the fruit of liberation to an aspirant who is on his way to achieve the state beyond the worldly existence. The understanding which is born out of non-delusion is considered to be ǻᲹ i.e. a king understanding among all three understandings.
In the knowledge based understanding one performs religious activities by listening to their greatness and how they are conducive to liberation. While in the non-deluded understanding an aspirant moves one step ahead. An aspirant performs every ritual in the manner that is exactly prescribed in the scriptures. In the knowledge based understanding the performance of religious activities does not necessarily be the most perfect and ideal. In the nondeluded understanding an aspirant, at the time of actual practicing, exerts himself to turn the performance most perfect. A perfect and appropriate performance of religious activity is called a true religious practice (岹ԳṣṭԲ.).
The characteristics of a true religious practice (岹ԳṣāṭԲ) are mentioned by Haribhadrasūri[4] . They are as follow:
Any religious practice can be called true or proper when it is performed with-
- Feeling of regards/gratitude for it,
- A joy in exerting oneself,
- It should be performed with a great dedication and involvement so that its performance itself destroys obstacles which may arise for upcoming performances.
Thus it makes the path of series of performances free from obstacles. Obstacles are of two types. They are:
- Laziness in the performance, dislike for it, temptation of materialistic world and such other.
- Supra-sensuous obstacles.
- The true religious practice results into the acquisition of prosperous and precious things.
- It gives rise to a curiosity to penetrate into the heart of the matter.
- It develops the feeling of attendance, on those who are expert on the matter, in the heart of a worshipper.
In the treatise Ṣoḍaś첹 Haribhadrasūri classifies souls who practice religious performance.
They are of three types:
The verse is as follows:
� paśyati liṅga, madhyamabuddhivicārayati vṛttam |
āgamaٲٳٱ� tu ܻ� parīkṣate sarvayatnena ||1.2||
In this verse the verbs used are paśyati, vicārayati and 貹ṣaٱ for , madhyama and 貹ṇḍٲ type souls respectively.
It seems that Haribhadrasūri’s classification of etc has somewhat resemblance with his classification of three types of understanding namely buddhi etc. In ṣṭ첹 ʰ첹ṇa, Haribhadrasūri’s composition, three types of knowledge are mentioned. Their definition and nature seem to correspond with the three types of understanding viz. buddhi etc.
The verse of ṣṭ첹 ʰ첹ṇa is as follows.
viṣayapratibhāsa� cā''tmapariṇatimattathā |
tattvasaṃvedana� caiva ñԲmāhūrmaharṣaya�||9.2 ||
The three types of knowledge are:
- վṣaⲹپ,
- Āٳ貹ṇaپ,
- ղٳٱṃv岹Բ.
In the commentary on ṣṭ첹 ʰ첹ṇa the three types of knowledge are explained. The lines are:
ṣaⲹپپ | tad ṛtپstvevam �ṣaⲹ�� = śrotrādīndiyañԲgocara� śabdādi�, tasyaiva na punastatpravṛtto tajjanyasyātmano'rthānarthadbhāvasya, ‘pratibhāsaḥ� pratibhāṣana� = paricchedo yatra tat viṣayapratibhāsam, eेhikā''mujmikeṣu chdvasthikañԲviṣayeṣvarthoṣu pravṛttāvātmanastāttvikārthānarthapratibhāsaśūnyamityartha�, ñԲmāhuriti samabandha� | ...., 첹岹� ca mithyādṛśāṃ bhavatīti | tatā ātmano jīvasya, pariṇatiranuṣṭhānaviśoṣasampādya� pariṇāmaviśoṣa�, saina jñoyatayā yasminnasti jñāne na punastadanurūpapraṛtپnivṛttī api, tad ātmapariṇatimat..., 첹岹� cāviratasamyagdṛṣṭīnā� bhavatīti | ٲٳٱ� 貹ٳ� tatsamyag vedyate jñāyate yena tat tattvasaṃvedanam, heyopādedyārthaniṛtپpraṛtپsamyādakamityārtha�,....첹岹� ca(tu) viśuddhacāritriṇāṃ syāt | ñԲ� � ǻ� āha� = buvate, maharṣaya� -mahāmunaya� | ... ||9.2|| ṣṭ첹첹ṇa ṛtپ.
The following are the reasons which throw light on the corresponding relation between three types of knowledge mentioned in ṣṭ첹 ʰ첹ṇa and three types of understanding described in ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ:
(1) In the commentary of ṣṭ첹 ʰ첹ṇa ñԲ is defined as bodha.Hence we may assume that three types of knowledge (ñԲ) and three types of understanding (bodha) are one and the same thing.
(2) The first type of knowledge is based on sensuous objects which is same as the buddhi type of understanding.
(3) The first type of knowledge is possessed by a ٳṛṣṭi soul, second by a ⲹṛṣṭi soul and third by a ٰ. This explanation more or less matches with the classification of three types of understanding.
Amitagati in his treatise ۴Dzṛt defines the three types of understanding as follows:
buddhirñԲmṃmdz� trividha� prakrama� smṛta� |
sarvakarmāṇi bhidyante tadbhedācca śarīriṇām ||
buddhimakṣāśrayā� tatra ñԲmāgamapūrvakam |
tadeva 岹ԳṣṭԲmṃmdz� vido � ||
ٰ-岹śԲ-ñԲ tatsvīkāro ⲹٳ |
tatrodāharaṇa� jñoya� buddhyādīnā� prasiddhaye || 8.81-83
In twenty third 屹ٰṃśi ⲹ ۲śDZᲹⲹ defines buddhi, ñԲ and ṃmdz as follow:
buddhirñԲmṃmdzstrividho bodhayṣyate |
ratnopalambha-tajñԲ-tadavāptinidarśanāt ||23.23buddhiriti |ܻ� = tathāvidhoharahita� śabdārthaśṇamātraja� ñԲm |... | ñԲ� = tathāvidhohena gṛhītā'rthatattvaparicchedanam |... | asammoho = heyopādeyatyāgopādānopahita� ñԲm |
In ⲹ a commantory of Dvātriṃśad-屹ٰṃśi by Muni ۲śDZᲹⲹ following lines are written in the present context.
They are:
�nayāntarābhiprāyeṇa buddhijñānā'saṃmohānā� kramaśa� śܳٲ-Գ-bhāvanājñānātmakatā yadvā śṇa-manana-nididhyāsanātmakatā yadvā viṣayapratibhāsātmapariṇātimattattvasaṃvedanajñānātmakatā yathātantrabhavasoyā bahuśܳٲi� |[5] � 23.23 Line 15-17, Pg. 1588, vol.6
To make the meaning of these three more clear Haribhadrasūri presents the following analogy. Buddhi is like perceiving a jewel. ñԲ is compared with the authentic knowledge of jewels which helps to decide prize, size, quality etc. of that jewel. And ṃmdz is like an attempt to own that jewel after knowing its preciousness[6] .
In ⲹ, Muni Yashovijaya’s (20th century A.D.) ṭīk on Dvātriṃśad屹ٰṃśi, we get detailed description of the analogy of a jewel used by Haribhadrasūri to explain the three types of understanding.
- ratnopalambha = buddhi;
- ratnañԲ = ñԲ;
- ٲԲپ = ṃmdz.
The lines of ⲹ ṭīk are as follows:
‘ratnopalambho� tyādi | 첹岹� ٱᲹī ti sāmānyenendiyā'rthā''śrayā ٲviṣayiṇ� ratnasvarūpa-ūⲹ 屹徱dz īṃs śūԲ ܻ� ratnaśāstradyabhyāsapūrvaka� ‘kadamindnanalaratna� lakṣaūⲹ� ṅg-chidrādidoṣ�'peta� tathāvidhaṃkāntyādiguṇopetami� ti u ratnañԲ�, tatpūrvikā ca ٲ'vāptirṃmdz iti ucyate |[7]
Results obtained from three types of understanding:
Haribhadrasūri says that actions performed with buddhi type understanding result into the continuance of the transmigration. The actions which are performed with ñԲ type understanding become seeds which culminate in liberation. The actions arising from ṃmdz type of understanding yield fruit in the form of liberation without any delay.
From this description we may say that a buddhi type understanding is possessed by a ٳṛṣṭi soul. A ñԲ type understanding is owned by a ⲹṛṣṭi soul. And third and the best type of understanding is held by a soul who is ٰ. One who performs actions with the buddhi typed understanding is called dehin by the author. Moreover our author addresses owner of ñԲ typed understanding as kulayogin and the holder of ṃmdz typed understanding is designated as ī⾱.
Dehin is a person who is an enjoyer of worldly existence. And therefore it is obvious that he would perform actions merely with buddhi typed understanding which is purely based upon senses and objects of senses. His all actions would result into the continuance of the worldly existence because the ultimate consequences of these actions are nothing but causes of pain as well as miseries. This is how they yield bitter fruits[8] .
Only kulayogin is eligible for holding the ñԲ typed bodha. The definition of kulayogin will be given by the author in verse 210-11. Here in the present context our author has specifically used kulayogin in order to avoid the rest three types of yogins. The actions performed under the guidance of ñԲ become means for liberation (muvtyaṅga) to the kulayogin. Such actions enjoy the powerful backing of scriptural knowledge. Therefore they leave such an impact that the previous action becomes cause for the performance of the present action and the present action generates the next action. The benefits derived from the preceding action give rise to the immediately succeeding one. And this is how a series is from that culminates in liberation[9] .
A soul who attempts persistently to transcend the worldly existence (i.e. ī⾱) comprehends that the state of emancipation (Ծṇa) as one and same in its essence though it is differently designated. Such type of comprehension is possible because he has ṃmdz type of understanding. In his auto-commentary on ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ our author explains the reason why the subject in question is called ī⾱.
The lines of autocommentary:.
..ī⾱a ucyante, bhavaԳ'saṃsparśāditi ||127||
He is called so because he is unaffected by all anxieties pertaining to the worldly existence. In other words he is not worrisome about the materialistic world. Moreover our author mentions the important characteristics of the subject in question[10] .
(1) It is said that,
�prākṛteṣviha bhāveṣu-śabdādiṣu buddhiparyavasāneṣu yeṣāṃ coto nirūtsuka� nisaṅgatāsamāveśāt�..... ||127||
�Բ� prākṛtabhāvā� śabdādipaātanmātrā'nta� 첹ṇa-karṇādijñānendriyapaāka karādikarmondriyapañcaka-pṛthivyādipaākamahābhūtā'ṅkārabuddhilakṣaṇāṃ trayoviṃśatiravasoyā atra pātañjalaprakriyā'nusāreṇa | jainadarśanā'nusāreṇaudayikādaya� prākṛtabhāvā vijñoyā�, karmaprakṛtijanyatvāt �[11]
The subject in question has become dispassionate towards the things encountered in the course of everyday life.
(2) In the auto-commentary of ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ it is said that,
...., bhavabhogaviraktāste-evambhūtājīvā muktakalpā... ||127||
He is no more interested in the enjoyments of the worldly objects. He is like a liberated soul.
His performance of actions, pure in all respect, done with ṃmdz type understanding, immediately yield fruit in the form of liberation[12] .
The following two verses of ۴Dzṛt pertain to the description of the subject in question. The verses are:
santyasammohahetūni karmāṇyatyantaśuddhita� |
Ծṇaśarmadāyīni ḍaī峾峾 |
bhāveṣu karmajāteṣu mano moṣāṃ nirudyamam |
bhavabhogaviraktāste 'tītādhvagāminām || 8.86-87 ||
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
rāgādibhiraya� coha, bhidyate'nekadhā nṛṇām |
nānāph lopabhoktṛṇā�, tathā buddhyādibhodata� ||119||
rāgādibhirdoṣai� aya� cā'bhisandhi� kaha loke bhidyate'nekadhā nṛṇā� tanmṛdumadhyādhimātrabhodena,... ||119||
-۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[2]:
buddhirñԲmṃmdz-strividhā� bodha kaṣyate |
tadbhedāt sarvakarmaṇi, bhidyante sarvadehinām ||120JJ
............| tadbhedād-buddhyādibhodāt sarvakarmāṇīṣṭādīni bhidyante sarvadehinā�, hetubhodātpha labhoda itikṛtvā ||120JJ
-۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[3]:
kandriyārthāśrayā buddhi-rñԲ� tvāgamapūrvakam |
岹ԳṣṭԲvaccaita-dasaṃmoho'bhidhīyate ||121||
�۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ.
[4]:
ādara� karaṇo prīti-ravighna� sampadāgama� |
jijñāsā tajjñasovā ca, 岹ԳṣṭԲlakṣaṇam ||123||
....., avighna-stat첹ṇa evā'dṛṣṭasāmarthyāt, sampadāgama� tata eva śubhabhāvapuṇyasiddhe�, jijñāsoṣṭādigocaraiva, tajjñasovā coṣṭādijñā''sovā, caśabdāt tadanugrahagraha� |... ||123||
- ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[5]:
Verse: 23.23 Line 15-17, Pg. 1588, vol.6
[6]:
ratnopalambhatajñԲ-tatprāptyādi ⲹٳ |
kahodāharaṇa� sādhu, jñoya� buddhyādisiddhaye ||122||
ratnopalambha� sāmānyenendriyārthāśrayā ܻ�, tajñԲ� tvāgamapūrvaka� ratnañԲ� tatprāptyādi tvṃmdz�, bodhagarbhatvādasya,.... ||122||
�۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[7]:
Verse: 23.23,line 21-23, Pg.1588, part-6.
[8]:
buddhipūrvāṇi karmāṇi, sarvāṇyeveha dehinām |
saṃsāraph ladānyeva, vipākavirasatvata� ||124||
......, kimityāha-saṃsāraph ladānyeva aśāstrapūrvakatvāt, tathā cā''ha-vipākavirasatvata iti, teṣāṃ niyogata eva vipākavirasatvāditi ||124||
-۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[9]:
ñԲpūrvāṇi tānyeva, muktyaṅga kulayoginām |
śܳٲśaktisamāveśā-danubandhaph latvata� ||125||
....| kulayogigrahaṇamanyāsambhavajñāpanārtham | kṛta katyāha-śܳٲśaktisamāveśāt heto� amṛtaśaktikalpeya�, naitadabhāve mukhya� kulayogitvam | ata evā''ha-anubandhapha latvata� muktyaṅgatvasiddhe�, tāttvikānubandhasyaivambhūtatvāditi ||125||
- ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.
[10]:
prākṛtiṣviha bhāveṣu, yeṣāṃ coto nirutsakam |
bhavabhogavirakta |ste, ī⾱a� ||
- ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ
[11]:
Verse: 23.26, ⲹ, p.1593, line, 11-14, part-6.
[12]:
asaṃmehasamutthāni,tveka |ntapariśuddhita� |
Ծṇaph ladānyāśu, ī⾱ām ||
...... tu ekāntapariśuddhita� kāraṇāt paripākavaśona, ......, keṣāmityāha-ī⾱ā�-samyakparatattvedināmityartha� ||126||
- ۴Dzṛṣṭiܳⲹ and its auto-commentary.